A total of 200 FIRs have been registered and 433 arrests made in connection with post-poll violence incidents in West Bengal since the Assembly election results were announced on May 4, as stated by Director General of Police (DGP) Siddh Nath Gupta. Alongside the arrests directly linked to the violence, 1,100 individuals have been placed under preventive detention. The Election Commission of India (ECI) recently instructed state authorities to maintain zero tolerance towards such violence.
The DGP clarified the withdrawal of certain security details from the residences and offices of outgoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. While the essential security arrangements based on their positions are intact, some additional security measures have been removed to bolster law enforcement in the state. The DGP emphasized the importance of refraining from vigilantism and urged the public to report grievances to the police instead of taking matters into their own hands.
In line with ECI directives, 500 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) remain stationed in West Bengal post-May 4 to prevent further violence. These forces will stay until the Commission issues new instructions.
